Eargo Link vs. Elehear Beyond

The Link by Eargo is an over-the-counter hearing aid designed to offer discreet and user-friendly hearing enhancement. It features advanced sound processing technology, competitive pricing, and has been positively reviewed by independent labs for its performance and reliability.

Offering good background noise handling, competitive wireless audio, and a solid app, Elehear Beyond is the best value hearing aid I've ever tested.

The Eargo Link achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked in the top 23% in the OTC Hearing Aid category. With a SoundScore of 4.00/5, it performs above the category average of 3.43, demonstrating competitive overall sound quality in HearAdvisor's standardized testing protocol.

Elehear Beyond achieved a SoundScore of 4.35/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #6 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

The Eargo Link seem to be a slight regression in build quality and have an IP54 rating, which is lower than other Eargo models. This means they are not water-proof and will require extra care to continue working well long term.

Elehear Beyond hearing aids have an IPx5 rating, meaning you will need to protect them from moisture and dust. However, they appear to be build from quality materials and come with a robust portable charging case.

I liked the portable charging case and magnetic locks. However, the 9 hour rechargeable battery life means they will not last all day and will be better suited for situational use rather than all-day hearing help.

Beyond have a reported battery life of up to 18 hours per charge, which is enough to get most people through the day. The case also offers on-the-go power and can recharge Elehear in around 1.5 hours, longer if the portable-charger needs to be simultaneously recharged.

I was impressed with Eargo Link's audio quality for both streaming and hands-free calls. The Bluetooth 5.3 compatibility is a significant upgrade from Eargo's other products that don't support streaming.

Beyond are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling.

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The Elehear app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance from Brighter to Deeper. At this time, Beyond are "preset-based", though you can get a more customized fit using their ElePro feature.

Link were moderately comfortable in my ears and feel like typical wireless earbuds. I was able to switch through the included ear tips to find the right fit for both comfort and sound quality.

I found Beyond fairly comfortable in spite of their larger body size. Be sure to test various ear tips to find optimal comfort and hearing benefit.

With their modern earbud-like appearance, Link is definitely more bold than other Eargo models. While I like the earbud look, you will have to decide whether you prefer a more discrete hearing aid option.

Beyond have a more modern receiver-in-canal design, although the body size is larger than many other hearing aids. While this should not effect comfort much, it may make them more noticeable based on your ear size and hairstyle.

The Eargo Link offers solid performance for its $799 price point, though several competitors in the same price range achieve higher scores.

Elehear Beyond has a value score of 4.9/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Instead of typical multi-function buttons, Link uses touch sensors. These worked well, and more reliably than other products I've tested, though the app would be a nice addition for manual controls.

I did not run into any issues while using Beyond or the Elehear mobile app. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.

Eargo is one of the first direct to consumer hearing aids, but support is unfortunately limited to to their Client Care team and personal hearing professionals. While Eargo claims they work alongside audiologists, it is not the same as direct professional hearing care.

Unlike many OTC devices, remote support from licensed audiologists is available through the ElePro app feature. This offers several benefits, but one we particularly liked was the ability for Elehear providers to recommend program settings based on their app or web based hearing assessment.